Crystal Palace 0-1 Manchester City: Three things we learnt

AFTER Manchester City maintained their 100 per cent record in the 2015-16 Premier League season with a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, Callum Matthews picks out three things we learnt from the Blues' latest win.

Iheanacho has a bright future

It’s easy to get carried away with a youngster when they come on and score a match winning goal at the tender age of 18.

However it wasn’t simply the fact he scored that impressed; it was the manner of the goal that excites for the future.

It was a proper striker’s goal to react to the spill from Alex McCarthy and prod home. A lot of strikers, even Sergio Aguero- who’s one of the best strikers in the world, aren’t great at reacting to opportunities like that.

The Nigerian was on the move as Samir Nasri shot and that’s the reason he got there ahead of Scott Dann and Brede Hangleand who were stood still. It’s a promising sign and shows the instinct of a natural goalscorer like Ruud Van Nistelrooy used to show.

Even after he scored he had a chance to double his tally- all of this in a five minute cameo appearance. He appears to get in the right places at the right time and that’s a promising sign for City in the future.

First of many @67Kelechi ðŸ‘ÂðŸÂ¼ðŸ‘ÂðŸÂ¼ðŸ‘ÂðŸÂ¼ðŸ‘ÂðŸÂ¼!! Cmooooon!

Otamendi has a real battle on his hands to get a place

The Argentine was signed for almost £30 million during the transfer window and made his first appearance on the City bench this weekend after finally being granted his work permit.

However with the Blues starting the season with five consecutive clean sheets it’s going to be hard for the 27-year-old to wrestle a starting place off Vincent Kompany or Eliaqium Mangala anytime soon.

It was a signing that City needed to make and I’m sure they’ll be glad that they have. A worrying pre-season meant they had little option but to act.

Whilst Kompany’s place was never really at risk he had a bitterly disappointing campaign last year however he appears to have returned to his colossal best and is displaying his characteristic leadership qualities.

Alongside him Mangala finally seems to have settled down to life in England. There’s still the odd silly foul in him and at some stage it may cost City this season but it’s hard to see him being displaced at the moment.

With a spate of games coming in the Premier League, League Cup and Champions League it won’t be long before the City fans get their first look at Otamendi. However the former Valencia man may have to wait a little bit longer for a regular starting berth.

Disappointed not to see Otamendi start. But De Brunye had a good first game and youngster Iheanacho scoring his first of many at City #MCFC

City can cope without Silva

Friday’s press conference brought the news that all City fans didn’t want to hear that the little Spaniard was out of the game.

He’s started the season brilliantly and makes the Blues tick. Although City weren’t at their fluid best at Selhurst Park the fact that they manage to secure all three points without him, Raheem Sterling and for the majority of the game Aguero will give them a lot of confidence.

In the attacking places they have an embarrassment of riches and bringing Kevin De Bruyne off the bench demonstrated that further.

He showed his quality with a couple of world class passes and after only training with his new team-mates for two days was a promising sign.

Silva is a world class player and will slot back straight into the starting eleven as soon as he’s fit but it will have delighted Manuel Pellegrini that his side won in a gritty fashion without the 29-year-old. He does suffer with ankle problems so there may be spells throughout the season where he can’t play so it’s crucial City don’t self erupt if that happens.